2 entries from November 2012

Monday, November 19, 2012

I love pellet stoves that are not only efficient, but pretty. I’d call the new AGP™ pellet stove from Lopi “handsome.” The rust patina side panels give the stove a classy, yet somewhat rugged, rustic look.

So the AGP pellet stove looks good. But does it couple good looks with high performance?

Most definitely. It has a heating capacity of 800 to 2,000 square feet and cranks out 11,480 to 41,000 BTUs per hour. That’s an excellent range for a pellet stove; in fact, it could practically heat my whole house!

The hopper capacity is 80 pounds of pellets, and it has a burn rate of 1.4 to 5 pounds per hour. Translated into plain English, that means you can get up to 57 hours of burn time before you need to reload the stove.

Not only that, but the stove’s horizontal rotary disc system controls the amount of fuel that leaves the hopper and enters the auger. That means that there is no direct path between the burning fuel, the auger and hopper, which eliminates any chance of burn back.

The AGP is designed to efficiently burn all grades of wood pellets. In fact, that’s how the AGP got its name; AGP stands for All Grades of Pellets. In this stove, you can burn any grade of ¼-inch or 5/16th diameter fuel. It’ll even burn the sawdust that’s left over in the bag of pellets!

The EPA has certified the AGP as extremely clean burning; it produces less the 1 gram of emissions per hour (which makes it exempt from burn bans).

Another nice feature of this stove is that it’s self-cleaning, so you'll rarely need to remove any unburned pellets.

The AGP comes with two side-panel color choices: black painted or rust patina.

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Monday, November 05, 2012

They’re sleek, stylish, and eco-friendly. Wall-mounted fireplaces are the latest fashion in interior home design, and they’re catching on like – well – wildfire.

Here are nine good reasons why you might want to invest in a wall-mount fireplace:

1. Space-Saving

If you don’t want the bulk of a free-standing wood, gas, or pellet stove, a wall-mount fireplace is an excellent alterative. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so whether you live in a large home or an apartment, it’s easy to find a model that fits comfortably on your available wall space.

2. Easy to Install

Similar to installing a wall-mounted flat screen TV, you simply install the wall bracket that’s included with your fireplace near an electrical outlet, plug it in, and you’re good to go. Some models, such as the Chalet (from Dimplex) pictured below, include a pedestal base so you can display the fireplace on a flat surface such as a dresser or buffet table. A portable fireplace… now, that’s the ticket!

The patented LED Dimplex flame technology creates the illusion of a true wood-burning fire.

5. Zone Heating

The Dimplex fireplaces we sell at Rich’s, such as the Strata (pictured below) include a powerful fan-forced heater that can provide supplemental heat to a room. Or, you can switch the heater off and enjoy the ambiance of the flames. A three-stage remote control allows you to control the heat and flame with the touch of a button.

6. Eco-Friendly

No matches. No refueling. No smoke. No chimney cleaning. Not to mention that electric fireplaces produce 90% less carbon dioxide than an average direct vent gas fireplace.

7. Economical

Electric fireplaces plug in to standard household outlets – no re-wiring is needed. And they cost just pennies per hour to operate (based on national average residential electricity rates).

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Visit Rich's Website

For more details about our products and for directions to our showrooms, visit richshome.com.